Reflections from the front lines serving people experiencing homelessness, striving for long term systems change, living in the reality of uncertain Federal funding and policy, witnessing the annual transition to Phoenix Summer, and facing a critical A/C repair.

The Keys to Change Street Outreach Team continues to count unsheltered individuals near Key Campus and beyond on a weekly basis. This morning’s count identified 115 people near the Campus and 721 people in the surrounding area, for a total of 836. This week’s surrounding area number is 131 higher than one week ago. Enforcement of no camping/sitting/lying down near Campus is working from the standpoint of keeping the number of individuals low; people are not camping nor are they building temporary structures. However, walk or drive a short one or two blocks away from the enforcement zone and the visibility of unsheltered people is obvious.

On Key Campus, shelter spaces remain full…. with the exception of the Overflow Shelter which is ramping down due to the end of funding on May 31. Effective June 1, St. Vincent de Paul will operate Heat Relief Shelter in their dining room for a lower capacity than we have provided since 2020. The end of Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding is becoming evident, and we see the reduction of capacity in a variety of programs.

As we read the news and emails sent to us related to changes in Federal policy, we also know that additional program and service capacity for people experiencing homelessness will keep disappearing. At Keys to Change we are gut checking the numbers of people served, what we estimate as reductions in shelter and bridge housing capacity, and reading the proverbial tea leaves related to housing, and we are sadly anticipating that homeless will double over the next 12 to 18 months. I can’t prove that or scientifically forecast it. And I most definitely hope we are wrong. It’s part of our worst-case scenario planning, to imagine the possible changes and to gird for never seen before rates of homelessness.

Usually, I’m not so doom and gloom. And I’m not one for “crisis fundraising,” which for me is using a situation to draw attention and plead for support because the sky is potentially falling. That’s not me, and that’s not how we operate at Keys to Change. We won’t create a crisis with regularity to ask for money.

Today is different though. I am using this blog as an opportunity to put out into the universe that we are facing 100-degree plus temperatures starting Friday of this week. The heat is going to begin to strain our HVAC Chiller System (“the chillers”). The chillers cool three areas on Key Campus: the Lodestar Day Resource Center, CASS (single adult shelter), and Brighter Way Dental Clinic. The Day Resource Center is the hub for client services and respite, and employees of six agencies; approximately 700 clients utilize the Day Resource Center every day. CASS shelters 600 people nightly. Brighter Way provides dental services that relieve pain and build dignity.

In order to be prepared to maintain a healthy temperature in these spaces throughout the long Phoenix Summer, we need $115,000 worth of repairs to the chillers. Until we take this step, many of us at Keys to Change will wish the weather forecast to be wrong and will plead with the chillers to keep working. We know wishes and talking to equipment are not solid strategies. And should the chillers stop working, we will put the health of clients and employees at risk.

With that, I am putting out a call for assistance. If you or someone you know is able to contribute, please reach out to me at amys@keystochangeaz.org or visit keystochangeaz.org/donation

Our timeline to secure funding and schedule the service is short.

I miss Mike McQuaid every day and for many reasons. He was a living angel and would reach out to his friends and networks to ask for help in cases like this. And then he would show up in my office with a huge smile on his face and checks in his hands.

Once I sign off, I’ll go listen to “Calling All Angels” by Train a few times. It can’t hurt to put these lyrics out in to the universe too.

“I need a sign
To let me know you’re here
‘Cause my TV set
Just keeps it all from being clear

I want a reason
For the way things have to be
I need a hand to help build up
Some kind of hope inside of me

And I’m
Calling all angels
And I’m
Calling all you angels”